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PassPorter News
News, Announcements, Updates, and Tips
July 3, 2008 * Issue 8.27
PassPorter.com - http://www.passporter.com
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Welcome to PassPorter
News, an online newsletter
about PassPorter travel
guidebooks, the
Walt Disney World Resort,
and Disney Cruise Line.
PassPorter News is
available by free subscription to all readers and friends of our labor of love
--
PassPorter Travel
Guidebooks.
Learn all about them:
http://www.passporter.com/aboutpassporter.htm
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In This Newsletter:
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From the Authors: Happy
Independence Day
Travel Feature: Berlin: A
City Divided Now Reunited
Disney Feature: Dave's
Take - Changes to Pleasure Island
Updates: What's New and
Changed
Tips: Germ Patrol, Slow
Down and Enjoy, Scooter Seat Cover
Captain's
Corner: Patriotic Pleasures
PassPorter
PhotoPick: Where the Track Ends
Q and A: How is the
noise level on Deck 5?
Our Sponsors: We
Recommend...
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FROM THE AUTHORS: Happy
Independence Day!
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Hi,
{{user("firstname")}}!
We're hard at work, trying
to get to a good stopping place before we set work aside on PassPorter's Walt
Disney World 2009 and take a break for the July 4th holiday here in the States.
We hope all of you will have a happy and safe holiday!
Fred Block, who runs the
very popular MagicMeets event in Pennsylvania every July, asks us to remind you
that only pre-registered attendees can get in (and we're not going to even tell
you where or when you'd have wanted to try to get in). There is no, and we
repeat, no, walk-up registration, so please, don't come in hopes of getting
lucky, especially if you'd be in for a long drive. Please, save gas! However,
if you've got one of the 500 golden tickets, we'll see you there!
As we explained in
previous newsletters, sales of PassPorter's Walt Disney World 2008 have
been so good that we have none left in the warehouse (although they are still
in stock -- for now -- at book stores around the country). If you can't wait
for October to get a 2009 edition from us, you may purchase a 2008 electronic
edition (download only) or get a 2007 edition at a close-out price. Refer to
the 2008 electronic edition for the most up-to-date info, and print-out the pages
you'll need when you travel. Rely on the 2007 edition for all our great
planning features, PassPockets, and info that's still pretty darned accurate
and useful.
PassHolder Pouches are
back in stock! Not only that, but we upgraded the printed PassPorter logo to a
full-color version that we think is much more attractive than the old,
all-yellow version. Order at
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/0966899437.aspx
PassPorter's Disney Cruise
Line and its Ports of Call 2008 is in stock! All new orders of our cruise guide
ship the next business day. Order at
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/dcl2008.aspx
Will you be joining us for
PassPorter's Decade of Dreams Tour? PassPorter is celebrating our 10th
anniversary in 2009 with a year-long celebration from coast-to-coast! Everyone
is invited and all are warmly welcome to join us at all or part of our celebration.
We are combining small parties (meets) with grand, multi-day trips, including a
7-night Disney Cruise, a 4-night stay at Walt Disney World, and a Disneyland
visit that includes park time and an Adventures by Disney expedition. See our
Tour Schedule for the latest details at
http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-decade-dreams-tour-2009/
PASSPORTER'S CLUB UPDATE
* 1400 vacationers are now
enjoying access to all our e-books, e-worksheets, and super-sized photo archive
images. Thank you for your continued support!
* Our newest e-book,
PassPorter's Answer Book is now available for download. This 85-page e-book is
full of the detailed, up-to-date information on the topics that really matter
to you. Details at http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/new-post-152726-new-e-book-coming-soon.html
* We have a brand new
e-worksheet for you to use to plan your next trip: the Daily Ride and Meal
Plans e-worksheet lets you plan the rides, shows, and meals around the park(s)
you plan to visit in a single day! See
http://www.passporterboards.com/forums/passporters-club-gallery/160945-new-e-worksheet-daily-ride-meal-plans.html
* More details at
http://www.passporter.com/club
In this issue, Guest
Contributor Courtney Agnello shares the secret of How I Helped My Scaredy Cat
Kid Enjoy Walt Disney World. Then, Featured Columnist Cheryl Pendry
takes us back to Hong Kong to wrap-up her impressions of that famous city.
Finally, Jack Skatt is back with a brand-new Walt Disney World Treasure Hunt.
Have a great week!
Jennifer and Dave
PassPorter Publishers and
Authors
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TRAVEL FEATURE: Berlin: A
City Divided Now Reunited
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by Cheryl Pendry,
PassPorter Featured Columnist
There can't be many cities
in the world that have the sort of history that Berlin does. Most cities'
histories stretch back hundreds of years and usually the most dramatic changes
took place well before living memory. That's not the case at all with Berlin,
where its history has been very much shaped by the events of the last 60 years.
Now the capital of
Germany, for many years, Berlin was still a capital city, but of East Germany,
when the country was divided during the Cold War. Literally cut in half almost
overnight, the Berlin Wall left families torn in two, with some living in West
Berlin and others stuck on the East side with no way out.
It all started after the
Second World War, when Berlin was divided up between the Allies; The United
States, Britain, France, and Russia, with each getting roughly a quarter of the
city. However, as the years went on and the Cold War took hold, Berlin took
center stage in the battle against Communism. In a bid to stem the number of refugees
heading to the western parts of the city, the Russians decided to build a wall
in 1961 and that was the end of a unified city, until the wall fell in 1989.
Bearing in mind that the
historic events of the fall of the wall only took place two decades ago, it's
amazing that today the city shows very few signs of ever having been divided.
Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous way to move between the two parts of the
city, still remains, but today it's there mainly for the tourists to have their
photo taken with it -- and people dressed as Russian and American soldiers - in
the background.
The nearby Checkpoint
Charlie Museum is a fascinating place to visit, although at first glance it
looks tiny and when we visited, it was absolutely packed with people. However,
head upstairs and suddenly you realize that the museum runs almost the length
of the street and is a real hidden gem. It also brings home to you how people
lived while the city was divided and, although there were some humorous stories
to read in there, it did make you think about the desperate lengths people
would go to so they could cross from the east of the city to the west.
Today where the wall once
stood is marked out, wherever possible, with bricks on the roads and pavements
and it doesn't take long before you realize that most of the major sights are
in what used to be East Berlin. That includes the Brandenburg Gate, perhaps the
city's most famous sight. The gate dates from 1795 and is a striking sight
today, having recently undergone a major restoration program.
Move further east and
you'll come to Museum Island -- an area of the city that's got a good reason
for its name. Not only is it an island on the River Spree, which cuts through
the city, but its home to a variety of museums. The Altes (old) Museum houses Greek
and Roman antiquities, while the Neues (new) Museum was originally built to
accommodate the overspill from the Altes Museum. Today it's the place to find
Egyptian art. Add in the Old National Gallery and the Bodemuseum, which
contains an impressive collections of coins, medals and notes, and you can see
how the island got its name.
But perhaps the most
stunning museum on the island is the Pergamonmuseum, which got its name from
one of its most famous exhibits, the Pergamon Altar, taken from a Greek temple
that dates to around 170 BC, on display in the first hall you enter. The huge
structure been recreated and you can sit on the steps of the altar and just
take in everything you're seeing. The museum is dedicated to antiquities and
other highlights include the Market Gate from Miletus, a Roman town in Asian
Minor, dating from around 120 AD (and currently undergoing major restoration);
and the Ishtar Gate from Babylon, dating from the 6th century BC. To us, this
was the most stunning of the main displays,covered with glazed yellow and blue
bricks to depict animals such as lions. Looking at it, you can't help but be
amazed by the detail that went into it and wonder how on earth the people
living all those thousands of years ago were able to create such a masterpiece.
Museum Island isn't the
only place to find stunning museums in Berlin. One of the newest additions to
the museum line-up is the Jewish Museum to the south of the city. It takes you
through two thousand years of Jewish life and we certainly learned a great deal
from our visit to it. It's a sobering place to visit, as you might expect,
although the section on the Second World War is very sensitively handled and
doesn't dwell overly on the terrible events that took place during those years.
So far, every attraction
I've looked at was in former East Berlin, but there are some that were on the
other side of the dividing line. One of those is the Reichstag, the German
Parliament, just a few metres away from the Brandenburg Gate. Dating back to
the late 19th century, this superb building recently underwent a major addition
in the shape of a glass dome, complete with viewing gallery. It offers some
superb views of the city and the Reichstag is also home to a wonderful
restaurant, again offering great views over Berlin.
Somewhere else to head for
to get a bird's eye view of the city is the TV Tower, affectionately called the
"toothpick" by locals because that's effectively what it looks like.
The viewing platform is more than 200 metres above ground and offers views in
all directions. It's also home to a very popular cafe, so there are plenty of
restaurants with a view to be found in Berlin!
From here, you get clear
views of Nikolaiviertel, the oldest part of Berlin, dating back to the 13th
century. It's a maze of narrow alleyways, unique shops and old buildings and is
exactly what you'd imagine traditional Germany to look like.
It's probably clear that
Berlin not only has a lot to offer the visitor, but is also a city of
contrasts, with history from recent years and dating back over many centuries,
and even millennia to explore. The divides of the past have all but gone now
and you can't help but think as you travel around the city that it's a great
improvement without the wall, not just for local people, but for visitors, as
the former East Berlin has a lot to offer and explore. It's wonderful to
finally be able to step into this area and see some of the city's highlights
now that Berlin is once again reunited.
About the Author: Cheryl
and husband Mark live in England and love to travel, particularly to America.
They are in the process of visiting every Disney theme park around the world,
having already spent a day in Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland
so far this year. They are looking forward to returning to America in October
to visit both Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California.
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Did you enjoy this
article? Have questions? E-mail us at news@passporter.com or visit
http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss your Disney travel plans. Also check
out our Article Collection at http://www.passporter.com/articles for more great
information!
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DISNEY FEATURE: Upcoming
Changes to Pleasure Island
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by Dave Marx, PassPorter
Publisher & Author
Late in the afternoon on
Friday, June 27, 2008, Walt Disney World announced that the six dance and
comedy clubs on Pleasure Island, part of the Downtown Disney shopping, dining,
and entertainment complex, would close on September 27, to make way for "a
completely re-imagined Pleasure Island." A Disney spokesman said,
"Our bold new vision for Downtown Disney reflects the feedback we receive
from our guests each and every day."
Let's pick the hard
information out of the press release:
The September 27 closure
affects only the six nightclubs currently operating on Pleasure Island: 8-Trax,
Adventurers Club, BET Soundstage Club, Comedy Warehouse, Mannequins Dance
Palace, and Motion. (Disney's fiscal year starts October 1, and there can be
tax benefits to wrapping-up club operations before the year ends.)
The shops and restaurants
will remain open: Raglan Road, Fuego by Sosa Cigars, Curl by Sammy Duval,
Orlando Harley-Davidson, and various outdoor food and beverage kiosks.
A new restaurant,
previously announced for Pleasure Island, is expected to open in Spring 2009.
Operated by E-Brands Restaurants, the "high-energy, casual eatery will
feature authentic Central and South American cuisine, specialty drinks and live
music along the waterfront. Concept art released by Disney suggests the eatery
will be called "La Dolbe," and will be located between the
Adventurers Club and former Rock and Roll Beach Club.
Disney also cataloged
other changes for the Downtown Disney area:
Portobello Yacht Club,
also on the Pleasure Island property, is being re-styled and re-themed in
summer of 2008 (like, now), as Tuscan Country Trattoria, with new interior
decor, new menu (but still Italian, of course), and an outdoor dining area.
This establishment is operated by Levy Restaurants of Chicago.
Fulton's Crab House, just
across a small bridge from Portobello and also operated by Levy Restaurants,
will get spruced-up in spring 2009, and they'll add an upper-deck area for
added guest capacity and the option for larger private parties.
Just steps away from
Fulton's, Portobello/Tuscan Country Trattoria, and The World of Disney in
Downtown Disney Marketplace is T-Rex, a new themed restaurant operated by
Landry's (the Rainforest Cafe folks). That's set to open in the fall of 2008.
In the final restaurant
news, sometime in 2009 Wolfgang Puck Cafe in Downtown Disney West Side will
also receive refreshed interior decor and a new, enclosed outdoor patio. That
patio may help relieve some of the demand for tables that can be so frustrating
on busy, weekend evenings.
Since old news can still
be repackaged as new news, the recently completed rehabs of Cap'n Jack's
Restaurant, Ghirardelli Soda Shop, Earl of Sandwich, and Wolfgang Puck Express,
all in the Marketplace district, were also mentioned in the press statement.
Not to be upstaged by the
very recently announced, 400-foot tall Big Wheel (observation Ferris wheel) set
to rise in Orlando's International Drive district, Disney has unveiled plans
for a tethered observation balloon, which will take passengers up 300 feet into
the skies above Lake Buena Vista. It's sure to provide much better views of
Walt Disney World property than the Big Wheel, which will be seven miles away
to the northeast. According to Pleasure Island vice president Kevin Lansberry
in an interview with Orlando Attractions Magazine/Inside the Magic
Podcast, the balloon will be located in Downtown Disney West Side area,
in the open area between Bongos Cuban Cafe and Wetzel's Pretzels. And if
anyone is worried about floating away, Wizard of Oz-style, I have a feeling
Disney will have the ropes fastened a bit more securely.
Hanes will open a design
your own t-shirt store in fall 2008, at an unspecified location somewhere on
the 120-acre Downtown Disney property.
Goofy's Candy Company, in
the Downtown Disney Marketplace district, will be opening a private party room
in fall 2008. That'll be for family-style birthday parties, of course.
Also in the Marketplace in
fall 2008, the Marketplace Stage will be upgraded to a new, covered stage,
intended to be a major venue for Magic Music Days (for which it already hosts
many smaller events).
Fans of the Adventurers
Club have reacted strongly to this announcement, as one might expect (Jennifer
and I have many fond memories of the club and its cast, and have long
recommended it to our readers). There is an online petition at
http://www.petitiononline.com/wdwaclub that currently has nearly 3,800
signatures, and many are writing letters to Disney (for a start, Guest
Communications, Walt Disney World Co., Inc., PO Box 10040, Lake Buena Vista, FL
32830-0040)
About the Author: Dave
Marx is the co-author of PassPorter guidebooks. He's married to his co-author
and partner in crime Jennifer and father to Allie and Alexander. He lives in
Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- - - - - - - - -
Did you enjoy this
article? Have questions? E-mail us at news@passporter.com or visit
http://www.passporterboards.com to discuss your Disney travel plans. Also check
out our Article Collection at http://www.passporter.com/articles for more great
information!
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UPDATES: What's New and
Changed
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Here's a few relevant news
items:
The biggest news of the
week is Disney's announcement that the clubs on Pleasure Island will be closing
on September 27, 2008. Check out Dave Marx's analysis of the announcement in
our Disney article elsewhere in this newsletter.
In light of this news,
beginning September 28, 2008, Park passes that have the Water Park Fun &
More option will, obviously, no longer include admission to Pleasure Island.
Guests may instead play a round of golf (9 holes) at Disney's Oak Trail Golf
Course.
Dining changes are the
other big news this week!
Beginning October 6, 2008,
Garden Grill at Epcot will no longer serve lunch.
Liberty Tree Tavern in the
Magic Kingdom will no longer offer a character meal at dinner beginning January
5, 2009.
Our thanks to AllEars.net
and MousePlanet.com from which we get some of our news leads.
Hear some news? Be a
"PassPorter Reporter" and send it to us at
http://www.passporter.com/report.asp
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DISNEY TIPS FROM FELLOW
READERS
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Our readers deliver a
wealth of information! Here are the winners in this month's tip contest:
GERM PATROL
"As soon as you walk
into your (hotel) room, clean the television remote, the telephone, and the
inside door handle with antibacterial wipes. The number one area for germ
transfer is the television remote. Young children sneeze, put their fingers in
their mouth, or other places, and then touch the remote. You don't want to get
sick while you're on vacation."
-- contributed by Lee M.
SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY
"Give in to the
goofiness and spirit of the place. Hug the characters, skip between rides, and
RELAX. You will have a much better time by soaking up everything as you go
instead of worrying about beelining from ride to ride to make sure you see
everything - believe me, its never going to happen! So slow down and
enjoy!"
-- contributed by Traci S.
SCOOTER SEAT COVER
"My husband uses a
scooter at WDW. Be sure to bring a poncho or cover for the scooter. It's not
much fun to come out of a ride and have a wet seat."
-- contributed by Shirley
W.
>Notes: Send us your
tips! You may see them in this newsletter and win a copy of PassPorter! Visit:
http://www.passporter.com/customs/tipsandstories.asp
>>Want more Disney
tips? For Walt Disney World fans, we've collected 500 of the best tips
submitted by readers over the past six years. All have been edited for accuracy
and categorized. For details, visit the PassPorter Disney 500 info page at
http://www.passporter.com/wdw/disney500.asp
>>For Disney Cruise
Line fans, we have an e-book with 250 cruiser tips, as well as a special cruise
line comparison section and seven customized packing lists. For information,
visit the Disney Cruise Clues info page at
http://www.passporter.com/dcl/cruiseclues.asp
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CAPTAIN'S CORNER: Treasure
Hunting Game
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Play our fun and quirky
treasure hunting game, hosted by Captain Jack Skatt from our book,
"PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World."
The Captain makes a study
of the delightful details -- sometimes hidden, sometimes in plain sight but
often overlooked -- at Walt Disney World and aboard the Disney Cruise Line.
Using notes from his journals, he will lead you to this "treasure" at
Disney with clues, questions, photos, or riddles. Your challenge is to discover
the answer by searching your memory, visiting Disney, or even just looking
really hard on the Internet. If you think you've found the answer, e-mail it to
jackskatt@passporter.com -- the first person to correctly submit the FULL
answer will receive a free PassPorter enamel pin or PassPorter name badge pin.
Here is this week's
journal entry:
"Independence Day is
just around the corner and today I celebrated by visiting the Hall of
Presidents at the Magic Kingdom. What a delight ... and so stimulating! I spent
quite a bit of time exploring the antechamber prior to the show and discovered
a plethora of patriotic pleasures. I was so inspired, I spent some time after
the show admiring the building's architecture. I was interested to note the
number on the building, which was a significant date in American history."
What number is on the
building that houses Hall of Presidents, and how is that number significant?
For bonus credit, locate
the photographic evidence in the PassPorter Photo Archive and post a comment
with the photo!
Send your full answer to
jackskatt@passporter.com -- the winner will be notified by e-mail and announced
in a future newsletter, along with the correct answer!
Congratulations to Nicola
S. who was the winner of last week's trivia contest! Nicola was the first
person to identify the color of the rose in the Beauty and the Beast
stained glass window as pink. Bonus credit goes to AmandaG23 who was the first
person to identify the photo in our PassPorter Photo Archive. To view the
original clue, see last week's newsletter at
http://www.passporter.com/news/news062608.htm#captain
If you enjoy treasure
hunts, we've got an entire book with over 100 distinct treasure hunts and over
1500 questions, complete with clues and contributions from Captain Jack Skatt.
Get more details on "PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World"
book at http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710269.aspx
==========================================
PASSPORTER PHOTOPICK
==========================================
Each issue we choose a
special photo from the PassPorter Photo Archive which highlights something
beautiful, interesting, humorous, or timely at Disney or around the world. Here
is this issue's PassPorter PhotoPick:
Where the Tracks End
contributed by tigger1221
View Photo:
http://www.passporter.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/7954
You can nominate photos as
a PassPorter PhotoPick by giving ratings in the PassPorter Photo Archive
(you'll need to be logged in to do this). If you'd like to contribute your own
photos to the Photo Archive and be considered as a PhotoPick, please read our
Photo Upload Guidelines for details and benefits.
Top 5 Photo Contributors
chezp - 1898 photos
akleos - 568 photos
Dopey007 - 512 photos
Meggera - 347 photos
OffKilter_Lynn - 261
photos
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Q & A WITH JENNIFER
& DAVE
====================================
IdahoDisneyMom asks:
"I'm looking at the category 10 rooms on deck 5 (on the Disney Cruise Line
ships), and wondering if there's a large amount of noise due to the kids' clubs
all being located just down the hall. Also, with the theater right above us,
will that bring in a lot of noise? Help!"
Jennifer and Dave answer:
"I like the rooms on Deck 5. There is separation from the kids area and
the movie theater (which is on Deck 5, not 6), and because there are relatively
few staterooms in the area, there's very low traffic (and noise) in the halls.
And if you do have kids or are a movie fan, those rooms are really convenient.
I think I've stayed in 5 twice and it has always seemed quieter than a
mouse."
Have a question? Post
questions at http://www.passporterboards.com/ -- and if you're lucky, you may
find that folks have already asked and answered the same question that's on
your mind!
===================================
WANT TO GET PUBLISHED?
===================================
PassPorter News is
published weekly and we're always on the lookout for good quality Disney and
travel articles! We seek guest columnists who want to contribute articles to
this newsletter. No professional writing experience necessary, just a desire to
share your experience with others! Not only is this a great way to give
something back to the PassPorter community, but you get to see your name in
"print" and receive a $25 gift certificate.
===================================
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car
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